


Life is Complicated

by swells55



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Game: Life is Strange: Before the Storm (2017), Life Is Strange: Before The Storm Spoilers, Post-Life is Strange: Before the Storm, life is strange - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:21:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25284562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swells55/pseuds/swells55
Summary: An attempt at an Amberpricefield fanfic where no one had to die. All of them deserved better. Takes a lot of content from BtS and LiS, with slightly altered facts.
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price, Rachel Amber/Chloe Price
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	1. I'm going to save them all.

**October 7th, 2013 : 9:32AM - GIRL’S BATHROOM**

She found herself back in the bathroom, kneeling on the hard tiles as the dazzling blue butterfly fluttered away from her. Soon, the chaos where it all began would commence once more. Max knew she was there to let Chloe die. As much as the thought destroyed her, she had to think about the countless other people who deserved to live too. The sensation of a lingering kiss prevented further rational thought. Everything they had gone through together would become only a memory in her brain that only she could recall.

As she heard the exchange between Nathan and Chloe once again, she couldn't help but impulsively grab the hammer and smash the fire alarm. This time, Nathan noticed the sound of the crushed glass shards before Max even pressed the button. Momentarily distracted, he yelled "WHO'S THERE", as Chloe took the chance to kick him in the balls (again). Yet with a gun still in his hand, he shot Chloe...again. As the sprinklers turned on to the alarms blaring, Nathan ran out and slammed the door behind him. Chloe was breathing shallowly, swearing quietly to herself. 

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. Fucking Nathan Prescott. I can't believe this is how I'm gonna die. I haven't even found Rachel yet...I never got to see Max again." 

Weeping silently to herself, Max forced herself to listen. The mention of her own name was like a bullet to the heart. How could she possibly live with herself if she let Chloe die believing that Max didn't love her. And Rachel...she didn't deserve to die like that. There had to be a better way. There must be. If she had figured a way out of Jefferson's bunker, surely she could find a loophole?

Max rubbed her temples in contemplation. Desensitised, having witnessed this scene for a second time, she frantically scrolled through her phone’s photos, seeing if there was anything there that would work. She didn’t even know if digital photos would work...but she had to try. There were a few pictures left over from Seattle, when she was hanging with her friends before summer vacation. A birthday selfie with her friend, Larissa. Then, her first day at Blackwell, when her parents were dropping her off at the dorm; a flurry of guilty selfies she had never intended anyone else to see.

_ Think, Max. Think!  _

Max suddenly remembered that Larissa was an Aries, which meant that photo took place somewhere around late March. She had to try. She had to try and save Rachel. None of this would’ve happened. No one had to die. 

In order to focus, she had to ignore the blue-haired body on the floor. To block out the sounds of whimpering and dying breaths. Max clenched her phone tightly in anger and tears, concentrating hard until the image became blurry. 

_ This has to work. Please.  _

Suddenly, the world around her started changing. Her head pounding and heart racing, she checked her nose for blood.  _ Nothing. _ She was going to do it. 

_ I’m going to save everyone. _

She was going to do it right this time.

Her vision dissolved. As she came to, she heard the sounds of happy chatter. She was in Larissa’s house, surrounded by uncomplicated friends from a previous life. The weight of the future still hung heavy on her shoulders, the image of a bloodied up Chloe still fresh in her mind.

“Max, come on! We’re going outside to play with the Slip’n’Slide!” 

She made some vague excuse to leave, apologised to Larissa, and got up abruptly as she checked her phone.

**March 28th, 2013 - 20:31 PM - LARISSA’S HOUSE**

_ Holy Cow. It worked.  _

It took her a moment to remember how to get back to her home from Larissa’s house, and found herself back in her room in Seattle. 

_ Text David. Tell him about the bunker. Text Chloe. Text...Rachel?  _

She felt the timeline of this reality wavering- She didn’t have much time. She quickly looked up all the phone numbers and emails she needed, set up a self-destructing email account, and sent anonymous messages to everyone. 

_ This has to work. It has to _ . 

**_To David:_ ** _ Underneath the Prescott farmhouse, there’s a bunker. Jefferson drugs and kidnaps young girls and takes photos of them there. They are highly dangerous. Be careful. Code is 542. Protect Blackwell. Protect Chloe and Rachel.  _

**_To Rachel:_ ** _ Mark Jefferson is a psychopath. Do not trust him. Nathan Prescott is dangerous. Do not be alone with either of them. I know this might sound weird, but something really bad will happen to you, and it has something to do with them. Stay away from the Vortex parties. Stay with Chloe and be safe. You have to believe me. Please survive.  _

**_To Chloe:_ ** _ Protect yourself and Rachel. She’s in danger. Something really bad is going on in Blackwell. You are loved, Chloe Price.  _

As she finished typing up the last message, she felt a warmth on her lips. Her nose was dripping with blood, running down into her mouth. She was going back. 

_ I’m going to save everyone. I have to.  _

When she arrived back to the present, she was still in her room in Seattle. Max checked her phone. 

**October 7th, 2013 - 16:32PM - MAX’S ROOM**

_ Why am I still here? Why aren’t I in Arcadia Bay? _

She tried looking around her room for a sign. On her desk, she saw a letter from Blackwell.

**_Dear Maxine,_ **

**_We regret to inform you that the Photography program at Blackwell is going to be taught by a different teacher in light of recent events. We would still love to have you as a merit scholar at our prestigious institution, but we are informed that your decision to go to Blackwell Academy was based on the fact that the course was being taught by Mark Jefferson, which is no longer the case. Should you accept our offer, we would be delighted to see you in the Class of 2013 of Blackwell Academy._ **

**_Sincerely,_ ** **_  
_ ** **_Raymond Wells._ **

It was creepy to recall a response she didn’t remember having. Then, the missing gaps started filling themselves in. Turns out, Max had opted to stay in Seattle since her favourite photographer was no longer teaching there. Mark Jefferson, her longtime idol, was arrested after someone found out that he had a secret bunker where he drugged and assaulted young girls. Understandably freaked out, her parents begged her to stay closer to home and do a summer program somewhere in Portland or San Francisco. Blackwell was forever tainted with the poor reputation of having housed a psychopath right under its nose for such a long time. Distressed that she had idolised such a monster, she took refuge in Portland for a few months with relatives. Now, she was already well into the first semester of her senior year back at her old high school. 

When she googled Rachel Amber, she only found her social media pages. Nothing about being missing. Then, she googled Chloe’s name. 

_ Phew. Nothing.  _

It dawned upon her that an entire chapter in her mind had been erased. In this life, she never met any of the Blackwell kids or teachers. She never redeemed herself with Chloe. She never had to find Rachel’s body at the junkyard. She never got to befriend Kate or Warren either. Instead, the memory of those moments were being replaced with a flood of cloudy recollections. All of the friends she had made this semester in her old school, assignments and projects, inside jokes, unfolded inside her like a balloon castle. The mind melding triggered a migraine that forced her to lie down. 

_ I need to remember. I have to get back to Arcadia Bay.  _


	2. Superstitions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max did it! She saved Rachel and Chloe...but they were definitely going through a rough patch and needed to work some stuff out. This chapter is set after Rachel has gone to Los Angeles to see her mother, Sera, during the winter break of December 2012.

To think of Rachel as her "friend", wasn't the right word, though they never called each other "girlfriends". The thought made Chloe cringe. In fact, their behaviour around each other didn't change drastically even when they weren't romantically involved.

_But when was it ever not romantic? It's always been something more._

They were always just, perfectly together. Soulmates of sorts. People often confused them for a couple and they always managed to avoid answering the question directly. They’d kiss, hold hands, sleep, do everything together...They were just two kindred drifters in a fucked world full of bullshit. She came into her life as sudden as rainfall, flung out of space like a star. When Chloe was the most alone in the world, Rachel was there for her. An unlikely pairing, the rebellious outcast and the Stargirl of the school. 

As a result, Rachel was the only person that Chloe would never ever get angry at. Sure, she’d break bottles, flip the bird at strangers, or yell at her parents, but when it came to a certain Amber, she was as docile and sweet as a kitten. At times she hated that Rachel had that control over her, but she knew that they had that effect on each other. That’s why it was so hard for Chloe to watch her slip away. It all started this year, after Rachel had gone to see her birth mother down in Los Angeles during winter break. When she came back, it was clear that something had happened. She was never the same after that. The differences were minuscule, but Chloe knew her well enough to know that something had happened. Though, Rachel wouldn’t say what, it was clear that she began getting herself into a lot of reckless situations: partying with bad company like the Vortex Club and spending more and more time with their drug dealer, Frank. 

Chloe admitted to herself that she was being more overprotective than usual, barking at Frank as much as Pompidou did at everyone else. Chloe fought with Rachel to stay away from him, but she knew better than anyone that Rachel hated being told what to do, and it drove her right towards him. For months, she was in denial about what Rachel was doing with Frank, but she wasn’t naive. She knew it was mostly jealousy that roused her anger, and she hated that she was no longer the sole object of her affection. Chloe just didn’t want to lose her best friend again. " _Chloe Price, you're my guardian angel",_ she always said _._ Chloe loved that girl more than herself. No one came close to how she felt about Rachel, except for maybe a certain childhood best friend who had left her behind. 

Eventually, Rachel had told Chloe what happened, but it was only after fate forced her hand. Or rather, an anonymous text message. Both Chloe and Rachel got bizarre anonymous emails and text messages about some kind of danger that they were both in. It seemed to be sent from the same person and it warned them to stay together because "bad things were going down". 

While they both were hesitant to believe that these warnings were real, they had been through enough bullshit together to understand that there was always something suspicious happening in Arcadia Bay. Rachel needed a bit of convincing, but she managed to be swayed with a bit of role-play. 

"If someone told you that I was in danger, what would you have me do?" Rachel crossed her arms and reluctantly replied to the question. 

"I don't know...I'd want you to be careful, I guess." 

"Come on, Rachel. Please, just for a week. If something happened to me or you-- I don't even wanna think about it? Bad shit happens in this shit hole. Or do I need to remind you when you got fucking stabbed?" 

Unable to come back with a reasonable response after that, she agreed to Chloe's plan. They were not on the best terms, but she did it because she loved Chloe. She was her best friend. The only person Rachel ever trusted completely. 

Though it was tense at first, they tried to lay low that month. No booze, no drugs, no parties. Rachel camped out at Chloe’s that week, but they tried to avoid having any serious discussions. Secretly, Rachel still went to see Frank, but was always with Chloe otherwise. It was actually helpful for them to be forced together through superstition, since they finally talked out what was eating away at their relationship. Then, one night, in a night of mutual insomnia, Rachel confessed what actually happened that winter. 

* * *

_It all started with the tale of Sera Gerhardt, which was a rather tragic one. Chloe always felt so bad for Rachel when it came to the topic of her mother. It made her more grateful for her own mom, who was constantly putting up with her shit._

_The facts were these: Sera lost custody of Rachel when she was 2 years old. James Amber had come home to a semi-conscious Sera, who had left baby Rachel unattended on a table while she relapsed into a dangerous drug addiction. Her father conveniently never told her about Sera’s existence, and had married Rose, a calm and kind-hearted woman. Rachel had always thought there was something odd about her family, and so was not completely shocked upon discovering that Rose was not her biological mother. She'd long felt that her father had a secret he was keeping from her, and it wasn't until Rachel met Chloe did they learn of his web of lies._

_For years, Sera had been in recovery and was trying to get in touch with Rachel. Long story short, Mr. Price had down some extremely illegal and incriminating things to ensure that Sera never met her daughter. Unfortunately for him, Chloe had learned the truth from Sera herself and told Rachel everything her father had hid from her. Following a series of extremely dramatic events, Rachel’s relationship with her family would never be the same, and she never forgave them for lying to her. She ascended new levels of rage and resentment, and Chloe was the only one who could talk any sense into her. It was Chloe who ultimately reunited Rachel with her mother, even though the latter thought she didn't deserve to meet her daughter. Though the meeting was brief due a forced urgent departure, Sera gave Rachel an open invitation to visit her in Southern California._

* * *

**March 31th, 2013 : 10:21PM - CHLOE’S ROOM**

“She was like me in so many ways...it was scary. She was doing well for herself, working at a tattoo parlor. It was surreal, to be honest. Her laugh, her smile...I saw myself in her in everything she did. She had so many regrets, Chloe. She told me her side of the story, and it turns out that my dad wasn’t wrong. Everything before that point had been true. She told me the nitty gritty details of her addiction. I almost wish that she hadn’t. I think she thought it might’ve put me off doing those things, but the truth was, I could see myself going down that hole too. I could see myself getting really fucked up. All this time, I thought something was missing in my life, but I left Los Angeles feeling emptier than ever before.”

“Rachel...you’re not your mom.” 

“I know...but I am so much like her. And I thought about what I was doing, with you, at Blackwell. The shit we got up to...I didn’t want to fuck up your life too. I’m bad news. I’m bad--” 

Rachel broke down, hysterically repeating over and over again, her newfound darkest fears. Chloe held her as she crumpled into a ball on the floor. 

“Your mom made bad choices, but she also is trying her best to redeem herself. Still, even after what your dad tried to do...What Damon did. It was so fucked up, Rachel, and it’s not your fault. You’re good. You’re strong.” 

“But what if I’m not?” Her voice, trembling, Rachel looked at Chloe with a child-like innocence that she hadn’t seen before. 

"You know, the most fucked up thing is that I loved it. I loved being out of control. It almost made me feel closer to her, in a way. That must sound so fucking stupid..." 

"No, it doesn't. Look, Rachel...there’s something you should know.”

“Sera, that day in the mill, she gave me a choice. She told me that I shouldn’t tell you about what James did. She told me that I’d be killing James for you...I’d be killing the nice idea of a family that you had. That you deserved a nice family, and a good childhood. Not some fucked up story of a drug addicted birth mom. You know what I decided.”  
  
“You decided to tell me.”

“Yeah, because you trusted me to be honest with you, always. But also because I know that you’re tough. Your dad was a fucking liar, and you’re better than him. You're better than both your parents. But you needed to know because it’s a part of who you are, and it doesn’t make you any more or less fucked up. It makes you...you. And you are amazing. You know that if anything happened, I got your back, right? Even if you became your worst enemy, I'd be by your side.” 

At that, Rachel calmed down, and let herself be comforted by her best friend. After a long moment's silence, Chloe dived into an attempt to talk about what was going on in her mind. 

“Look…I know that I’ve been a dipshit recently. I was jealous. I know that you've been seeing Frank.” 

“Chloe...” 

“Spare me the details, please. I don't wanna hear it. All I need to know is that you're happy, and that we'll always be friends. I know you love me...even if it's not in the same way as before. But just don’t lie to me, Rachel. We don't do that. ”

“Chloe. I’ve been so shitty. I'm sorry. I hid the thing with Frank from you because-- Well, I was afraid of what you’d think. I didn’t want to upset you, because I know that--

“Can we maybe, not talk about this right now?” Chloe was afraid of what she might hear. She knew that Rachel’s love for her was special, but Chloe couldn’t stand the thought that she could actually be in love with Frank Bowers. He was probably the nicest of all the shady low-lifes in Arcadia Bay, but he was still a fucked up guy.

_Are you serious? Frank? He's an old ugly loser addicted to beans! He almost definitely killed Damon!_

The real question that was eating at her was this: _Did she love him more than me?_ The sentiment destroyed her. The thought had crossed her mind when they first got together- the possibility of breaking up and seeing other people was a fear never far from Chloe's insecurities. But she promised herself a long time ago that she would never get in the way of Rachel's happiness...even if it wasn't with her. 

After a few moments of silence, Chloe got out her grinder. They lied on Chloe’s bed, passing a joint and listening to whatever was playing on the radio. In a desperate attempt to change the topic, Rachel broke the silence. 

“So, who do you think it was?”

“What?” 

“Who sent us those messages.” 

Chloe took a long drag. 

“No fucking clue. But I have this feeling that it’s legit.”

“If I didn’t know any better, sounds like a crazy ex.” Chloe sniggered as she shoved Rachel playfully. 

“You know I’ve never really dated anyone before.” 

“ _‘You are loved, Chloe Price.’_ Sounds like an old flame. My texts didn’t look anything like that.” 

“What? You jealous?” 

“Hm. Maybe.” 

Chloe was relieved that the two of them were back to teasing each other. It was the foundation of their friendship, and at the end of the day, it was the most important thing. 

“But _yours_ says some real fucked up shit about those dickbags.” 

“Yeah. I almost don’t believe it, but there's definitely something way-wrong about Nathan.” 

Suddenly, Chloe’s phone started buzzing. 

**STEP-DOUCHE: Chloe. Is Rachel with you?**

“Whoa. What's step-douche doing asking about me?” 

“Ugh, who knows. He’s been crazy lately. The other day, he stormed out in the middle of a conversation with my mom. I’ve never seen him do that before. Mom was freaking out since he didn’t reply to her messages all day.” 

“Weird.” 

Suddenly, Chloe’s phone started ringing. She let it go to voicemail, but it never stopped. Finally, she picked up. 

“What do you want, David?”

“Damn it, Chloe. When I text you, you text back, got it?” 

“Why should I?” 

“Nevermind. Answer the question. Is Rachel with you?” 

“Yes, but why is that any of your fucking business? Hello? Fuck, he hung up on me!”


	3. BREAKING NEWS

**ARCADIA BAY TRIBUNAL - APRIL 1ST, 2013**

**PRESCOTT FARMHOUSE’S SECRET BUNKER: A ROOM OF DRUGS AND DARKNESS**

_David Madsen, Blackwell’s security guard, reported to the police on the morning of March 30th, regarding suspicions of a secret bunker that was located underneath the Prescott Farmhouse, situated just outside of central Arcadia Bay. Madsen told police officers that he received an anonymous tip about its whereabouts, and revealed that he had made his own investigation into the site. When he had enough incriminating evidence to convince the ABPD to investigate his findings, they discovered that there was, indeed, an undocumented underground bunker underneath the Prescott Farmhouse residence. At first glance, the bunker appeared to be a sterile photo studio. Shockingly pristine, one crime scene investigator said, in a way that matched the description of common psychopathic behaviour. Then, police found numerous Class-A sedative drugs, as well as several photo albums containing explicit images of unconscious girls, tied up and bound, in what was clearly that same bunker. Further research showed that the names found on the albums corresponded with some of the profiles of previous unsolved reports of assaults in Arcadia Bay and other cities that Jefferson had lived in. The following day, Nathan Prescott and Mark Jefferson were arrested for several counts of assault and kidnapping. Our reporters found out that Prescott confessed in interrogation that Mark Jefferson, who had been a famous photographer and teacher at the esteemed Blackwell Academy, had encouraged him to ask his father to build the bunker, as a way to teach him “how to be a better artist”. Several journals were found within the bunker that documented Jefferson’s personal ideologies that explained the motive of his "art". Figure 1 shows a direct extract from his journal:_

_“Capturing the innocence of someone helpless is the greatest expression of vulnerability that one could ever witness.”_

**Read more on page 24.**


	4. Chapter 4

**August 16th, 2013 - 11:45AM**

Chloe didn't sleep all night. She woke up 4 times that morning due to a reoccurring dream about Max. She was taking a selfie of the two of them, and after the flash, she’d disappear into thin air, leaving Chloe empty and confused. After that, Chloe would be stuck on an unmoving path forced to run as if her life depended on it. No matter how much she ran, she always stayed in the same place. At the end of the path, would be Max, beckoning her to "Come on!", sticking her hand just out of reach, taunting her. 

When she woke up, it was almost noon. 

_ Another shitty Friday, another shitty day of a shitty life in fucktown Oregon, USA. _

She put on some headphones and blasted some Pisshead. Her friend Skip, who used to work for Blackwell as a security guard, gave her his band's debut EP. Skip, the lead guitarist and singer, quit to do music full-time and he was doing rather well for himself. The job was taken over by her step-douche, who eventually married her mom shortly afterwards. When Skip left on his first local scene tour, Chloe had been lucky enough to tag along for some of it. How she envied him and his ability to get the hell out of here. 

These days, Chloe couldn't help but reflect on the fucked up shit that happened a few months ago. She thought that she had seen enough bullshit in the world. From seeing Rachel getting stabbed, burning down the Mill, almost getting glassed and murdered by thugs...she thought she had seen enough. But after reading that article that morning, she really thought it could be an April Fool’s joke. 

The fact that you can never know if there’s a serial rapist in your midst is a disheartening realisation. What’s more, it proved that those mysterious texts were more like unbelievable mystical prophecies. _ Who the fuck sent them? _ After she read the article, she crumpled into a heap on the floor. 

“That could’ve been me, Chloe. It could’ve been me!” 

Though she didn’t like him much, Rachel had been trying to get on Jefferson’s good side all year. She wanted to get free headshots that she wanted to save for an eventual acting portfolio. Plus, it never hurt to be friendly with the school’s photography professional. Her audacious behaviour had put her on a lot of “shit-lists”, egging on rumours that she had slept with him to get good grades. 

The arrests of Mr. Jefferson and Nathan Prescott had been the talk of the town for months, taking its toll on the student community. Rachel was traumatised. She started suffering from more frequent anxiety and panic attacks, and became distant from everyone at school. She almost even talked more than two words to her dad to ask she should change schools. Had it not been for Chloe, she would’ve left Blackwell Academy and Arcadia Bay right then and there. Chloe could tell how shook she was; one of the first things Rachel did, after all had been revealed, was go back to her parents’ house. She ran inside and gave them both an enormous hug - something that James and Rose Amber clearly didn’t think they’d ever receive again. She hadn’t forgiven them, no, but her anger had certainly subsided. 

By the end of the year, many kids left, and the school’s remaining staff was under tight scrutiny from the authorities. David, on the other hand, became famous after busting the Prescotts. Using his five minutes of fame, he decided to start his own security and surveillance company, which unsurprisingly was now in high demand. He was much less of an asshole when he didn’t have time to boss Chloe around anymore, and Joyce was overcome with relief to see the two of them “get along” finally, after all this time. Plus, with David’s extra income, Chloe saw gradual improvements in every part of their lives. A better attitude, less work for her mother, and some new furniture. David took the time to replace some of the older parts in Chloe’s car, and had proposed that they get a dog or a cat as a family. Chloe finally started to see what her mom saw in him. 

On brand with her need for escapism, Rachel asked her dad to send her to drama camp, so she spent the summer somewhere in Oregon. Chloe took a road trip to see her, and they even went to Seattle for a few days. By the end of the summer, Rachel was in a much better place. 

“I want to be an actress. I’m going to Los Angeles in the fall to try my luck at Hollywood. I’m gonna do it, Price.” 

* * *

Rachel finally decided to move to Los Angeles at the end of October. She had joined an acting program for film and television, after several recommendations and connections from new pals at drama camp. She wanted to cut off all ties with Arcadia Bay, and never look back. That meant that she also ended things with Frank. It wasn’t difficult, seeing as Frank had finally been busted for selling drugs. The ones in the bunker were directly linked to him, and once police got a warrant to search his RV, they found a hotbed of incriminating goods. Rachel went all the way to the slammer to visit him and say goodbye. Chloe insisted that she come along- she didn’t trust Frank not to lash out over a break-up, even if he was safely secured on the other side of a glass wall. Chloe waited outside the visiting rooms - she didn’t want to see him ever again. Rachel was caught off-guard to see Frank in an orange jumpsuit. It was a surreal moment, acknowledging that she probably wouldn’t see him again for a really long time. At that moment, she realised what a mistake it had been to get involved with him. Though he didn’t take it all too well, he was unexpectedly calm. 

“Fuck...I always knew you were gonna go off and chase that dream of yours. This town was never gonna be big enough for you. Get the fuck out of this hellhole before it swallows you whole.”

Although he was a grouchy petty criminal, he wasn’t a bad guy. He took responsibility for his role in Jefferson’s actions, and berated himself before Rachel got a chance to. 

“I’m not a good person. I’m not a bad guy, but I’m not a good person. You have a whole life ahead of you. Don’t let a drug dealer loser like me hold you back.” 

“I really appreciated what we had together, Frank. You helped me a lot. You’re really special to me.”

“Make better choices than I did, Rachel. I love you.” 

At this, she smiled. He looked so different without his rugged leather jacket and ripped up jeans. The aura of danger he held was completely gone. All Rachel could see was a man full of regrets. It occurred to her that this was the same energy her father had ever since the truth had come out. For a moment, she felt an intense sorrow for the two of them. Just as she was about to get up, Frank made a final request. 

“One last thing. Do me a favour, Rachel…Can you take care of Pompidou for me? He’s at the pound now, and if someone doesn’t claim him soon, he’ll get put down.” 

“Of course.”

“Thanks. Take care of each other, you and Price.” 

Chloe was glad that he was out of her life, but it wasn’t nice to watch Rachel going through a break-up. She comforted her the best way she could, and took her to the junkyard to smash things. She often wondered if they would ever get back together - there was no doubting that they loved each other, but she could never tell if Rachel would be in love with her again. Even Chloe herself wondered if she was able to love someone else other than Rachel, since she never met anyone else who sparked her interest. At the end of the day, however, it didn’t matter. Chloe loved her no matter what. All she wanted was a life with no more bullshit. She had enough for a lifetime, and so had Rachel. 

After that, they picked up Pompidou at the pound. The poor dog was clearly traumatised, having spent months in a pet prison without seeing his master. Without Frank, he was scared of everything, barely eating, having lost all interested in going outside. He was on high alert, as if Frank would return at any moment, and was aggressive to most people. What was once a threatening guard dog was now just skin and bone, whimpering in anxiety. Thankfully, he was already familiar with Chloe and Rachel and was already improving in their care. He would never hurt them, but they had to decide what to do with him. 

“He can live with me. He can guard my room if David gets snoopy again.” 

“It would be nice to have a dog in LA.” 

“You’ll be busy with acting stuff, just leave him to me.” 

Rachel realised that Chloe didn’t really mention what her plans were after Rachel left for LA. They had always imagined leaving together, but it seemed wrong to assume anything anymore.

“About that….there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you…

Chloe, are you sure you don’t wanna come with me?” 


End file.
